Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Banter Precedes Niroshan Dickwella’s Dismissal in First Test

Niroshan Dickwella’s wicket fell to Prasidh Krishna shortly after Yashasvi Jaiswal engaged him in some good-natured banter, attempting to entice him into a hook shot. This moment unfolded during Sri Lanka’s chase of 372 runs in their first Test against India in Galle. The dismissal, which left Dickwella out for 12 runs off 17 balls, elicited joy among the Indian fielders, with teammates remarking on Jaiswal’s influence in the exchange.

Although Jaiswal was not directly involved in the dismissal, his teammates, including Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar, and Rishabh Pant, acknowledged him during a huddle for the perceived role he played in pressuring Dickwella. The Sri Lankan side was ultimately dismissed 165 runs short of the target soon after the lunch break, failing to bat out the required overs for a draw.

The light-hearted banter took place in the 60th over of Sri Lanka’s innings. Jaiswal had been encouraging Dickwella to hook the short balls thrown at him by Krishna. He remarked, “There wasn’t a lot of shots in the first innings. I need to see something,” as he approached Dickwella during the over. Initially unresponsive, Dickwella quipped that he would try the shot “If you take me to IPL,” to which Jaiswal replied affirmatively, asserting he would take him.

In a playful exchange, Jaiswal urged Dickwella to hit the ball into the Galle Municipality Stand, to which Dickwella responded, indicating he wasn’t inclined to play the hook shot. Despite this, Dickwella managed to score two runs off Krishna on the next ball before he edged a delivery closer to his body, resulting in his dismissal by Pant.

India’s players interpreted Jaiswal’s chatter as a catalyst for Dickwella’s mistake, suggesting it contributed to the wicket falling just before the Sri Lankan tail began to struggle, with offspinner Keshara Nuwantha coming in to bat shortly before lunch.

This isn’t the first instance where Dickwella has engaged in exchanges with Indian players. He similarly conversed with opponents during a Test match in Kolkata in 2016, where he humorously remarked he was “helping them waste their own time,” when asked to tone down his chatter.

Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn